Vacuum cleaning and force-draft system.



F. J. MATCHETTE 84 R. RADDATZ.

VACUUM CLEANING AND FORCE DRAFT SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1910.

1,224,410 Patented May1',1917.

HHHHHHHHHIWHHW Witnesses, hf 71, v e at 4 Fm! Wm W My. ByJfW/QM MM 5ma-2ww' mr Mwms PEYERS co,Pno'lournmwAsmNum/V. u c.

UNTTE STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

FRANK J". MATCI-IETTE AND RICHARD RADDATZ, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGN- ORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RICHMOND RADIATOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

VACUUM CLEANING AND FORCE-DRAFT SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ll, 191?.

Original application filed March 2, 1905, Serial No. 248,106. Divided and this application filed September 30, 1910. Serial No. 584,585.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FRANK J. MAT- CHETTE and RICHARD RADDATZ, citizens of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of VVISCOH- sin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Gleanmg and Force-Draft Systems, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to apparatus designed to remove dust and dirt from floors, walls or other surfaces and from carpets, furniture or the like, by means of acurrent of air.

The main object of the present invention is to utilize the exhaust from such a system for accelerating the draft and promotlng combustion in a furnace or the like.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in both figures.

Figure l is a side elevation partly lnsection, showing a stationary plant embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing certain features of the invention as embodied in portable apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, a piping system is shown, comprising a suction or service main (a and one or more branches 6, having valve controlled inlet or service connections 0 on the several floors or in the different apartments of the building for the attachment of suitable vacuum or suction tools or cleaners, which are not shown.

A stationary steam boiler (Z mounted in an ordinary brick setting and provided with a smoke stack or escape flue e, is usually located in the basement of the building. Below the boiler the brick setting forms the usual furnace, comprising a combustion chamber f above, and an ash pit 9 below, the grate i.

Thesuction or service main a preferably leads into a primary dust collector or separator j, which is preferably located in the basement of the building or near the furnace, so as to remove from the air the heavier and coarser particlesof dirt and thus prevent them from clogging or interfering with the operation of the aspirator or vacuum producing means hereinafter mentioned. The primary dust collector or separator j is connected by an eduction pipe 74 with a secondary dust collector or separator Z. In this pipe is located an aspirator or ejector m, which is connected by a pipe n with the boiler cl or the steam supply main 0 leading therefrom. The pipe n is provided with a valve 79 for manually shutting ofi' the supply of steam to the aspirator and also with an automatic regulating valve q operated by a diaphragm or similar device,

indicated at r, and connected on one side by a pipe 8 with the pipe 76 or any other convenient part of the system in which vacuum or low service pressure is maintained, the valve 9 and its actuating device r with their connections constituting an automatic controller or regulator.

I From the lower part of the secondary dust collector or separator Z, a discharge pipe t provided with a valve 24, leads through the wall of the furnace above the grate a into the combustion chamber f. From the upper part of said dust collector or separator leads another pipe '0 having a valve to and a three-way valve 00, with one branch of which is connected a blast nozzle 3/ in the smoke stack 6 of the boiler furnace, while with the other branch is connected a blast nozzle .2 in a ventilating flue, waste conduit or other duct 2, for producing a draft therein. Still another pipe 3 provided with a valve 4 and with a three-way valve 5, leads from the dust collector or separator Z at a point above which dust and dirt are allowed to accumulate therein. One branch of the three-way valve 5 is connected with the ash pit g below the grate z of the furnace by a pipe 6, while the other branch is connected by a pipe 7 with a feed water or other heating device, represented by a rediator 8.

The apparatus as thus for described, may be operated in several difi'erent ways. If it be desired to discharge the exhaust from the aspirator m directly into the furnace, the valves 20 and 4 are closed and the valve u is opened, whereupon the mingled air, steam and dust issuing from the aspirator are directed into the combustion chamber f of the furnace above the grate g, accelerating the draft of the furnace and promoting combustion of the fuel the ein, besides disposing of the dust and dirt in a convenient, harmless and inoffensive manner. Or, if desired, the valve 26 may be closed and the valve 20 opened, whereupon the air and steam from which dust and dirt are removed in the dust collector or separator Z, pass through the pipe 11 and are discharged from the blast nozzle 7 into the smoke stack or escape flue c, or are discharged from the blast nozzle 2 into the duct 2, according to the position of the valve On the other hand, by closing the valves 10 and w and opening the valve 4-, the air and steam from which dust and dirt have been removed in the collector or separator Z, may be discharged through the pipe 6 into the ash pit g of the furnace, thus tending to cool the grate bars and soften clinkers, as Well as acting to accelerate the furnace draft and aid combustion. Or by the proper manipulation of the valve 5 the exhaust steam and air from the aspirator may be directed through the pipe 7 into the radiator 8 or other heating device, in which the otherwise waste heat of the steam is advantageously utilized without affecting the operation or impairing the efficiency of the clean ing apparatus. Durin the operation of the apparatus in the various ways last described, when the exhaust steam and air are directed into the smoke-stack c, duct 2, ash pit g or heater 8, the dust accumulating in the collector or separator Z is discharged from time to time by opening the valve u.

Referring to Fig. 2 showing portable apparatus embodying certain features of the invention, the vacuum piping system is represented by a flexible pipe or hose a with which the cleaning tool is connected. cl is a portable vertical fire tube boiler having a smoke stack or escape flue c, an internal fire box or combustion chamber 7, ash pit g and grate i. In this case the secondary dust collector Z is omitted and the eduction pipe 7c is provided at its discharge end with a three-way valve 9, one branch of which is connected by a pipe 10 with a blast nozzle 11 in the smoke stack 6, while the other branch is connected by a pipe 12 with another three-way valve 13, from which branch pipes or nozzles 14 and 15 lead into the combustion chamber f and ash pit g above and below the grate 2" re spectively. Each of the branch pipes 14 and 15 may be surrounded at its discharge end by a cone or tube 16. for entraining into the furnace with the exhaust jet, additional air.

The operation of this portable form of apparatus is similar to that of the stationary apparatus 'hereinbcfore described, the ,mingled steam, air and dust being discharged either into the ash pit, combustion chamber or smoke stack of the furnace, as may be found desirable for producing the best results under varying conditions. The dustv collector or separator y may in this case be constructed to remove all or most of the dust from the air, so that the discharge of the exhaust from the aspirator into the open air will be unobjectionable.

Various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Features shown and not claimed herein are claimed in my co-pending applications Serial Numbers 584,586 and 584:,587.

To claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaning and force draft system, in'combination, a piping system having means for receiving material to be conveyed thereby, an aspirator in communication with a pressure supply for actuating it, and with the piping system, a furnace, means for directing the aspirzitonexhaust to the desired part of the furnace and means controlled by the pressure in said system. for regulating the pressure of the air aspirated through said exhaust.

2. in a vacuum cleaning and force draft system, the combination of a suction main provided with means for receiving material to be conveyed thereby, a furnace, means for exhausting air from said pipe having a discharge connection with said furnace below the fire therein, and means automatically responsive to changes of pressure in said suction main for controlling said exhaust.

3. In a vacuum cleaning and force draft system, in combination, a piping-system having means for receiving material to be conveyed thereby, an aspirator in communication withv a pressure supply for actuating the same and with the piping-system, a furnace, said aspirator being arranged to discharge its exhaust below the fire in said furnace, and means automatica ly responsive to, changes of pressure in said piping system for controlling said exhaust.

at. In a vacuum cleaning and force draft system, in combination, a piping-system having means for receiving material to be conveyed thereby, a steam ejector or aspiratoradapted to draw air and dust through said system, a steam-generator, including a furnace and grate, adapted to supply steam to said aspirator for operating it, means for discharging the exhaust of said aspirator under the grate of said furnace and means automatically responsive to changes of pressure in said piping system for controlling said exhaust.

5. In a vacuum cleaning and force draft system, in combination, a piping-system having means for receiving material to be conveyed thereby, a steam ejector or aspirator in communication with a pressure-supply and adapted to draw air and dust through said system, a steam-generator, including a furnace, adapted to supply steam to said aspirator for operating it, and means for discharging the exhaust of said aspirator into the stack of said steam-generator, whereby increased draft is produced in the furnace.

6. In a vacuum cleaning and force draft system, in combination, a piping-system having means for receiving material to be conveyed thereby, a steam ejector or aspirator in communication with a pressure supply and adapted to draw air and dust through said system, a steam-generator, including a furnace, adapted to supply steam to said aspirator for operating it, a chamber to receive the dust conveyed through the piping and means for discharging the exhaust into the stack of said generator, whereby increased draft is produced in the furnace thereof.

In witness whereof we hereto afiiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. MATCHETTE. RICHARD RADDATZ.

, Witnesses:

CHAS. L. Gross, ALICE E. Gross.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent Washington, D. 0. 

